First Blood
First Blood is the second episode of Mobile Suit Gundam Unicorn RE:0096. It first aired on TV Asahi on April 10, 2016 with the English dub streamed worldwide on Daisuki and the English sub streamed in Southeast Asia on Gundam.Info. Synopsis Evading Marida, who has come to take Audrey back to the Garencieres, Banagher finally manages to get Audrey to the mansion in Magallanica where she hopes to meet with Cardeas, the current head of the Vist Foundation. Here he sees the "Lady and the Unicorn" tapestry, and feels a strange sense of déjà vu. Cardeas appears, sending Banagher away and then refusing Audrey's plea that he halt the handover of Laplace's Box, which could start another war. At the same time, the Earth Federation Forces assault landing ship Nahel Argama, which is carrying an ECOAS special forces team on a secret mission to stop the Box from changing hands, is approaching Industrial 7. Zinnerman and his comrades, who are members of a Neo Zeon remnant group known as the Sleeves who have survived Char's Rebellion, begin negotiations to transfer the Box. But what Cardeas is offering them is merely its key. Zinnerman is also suspicious of Cardeas's claim that he is keeping Audrey under his protection.Gundam.InfoDaisuki Then they learn that Federation Forces mobile suits have engaged the Sleeves in battle. Plot Once back at the colony, Gael informs Cardeas that he was able to get a hold of a staff officer on Luna II, who confirmed that Londo Bell failed to pursue a group of Sleeves. He tried Londenion but their commander isn't forthcoming. Cardeas could guess that Bright Noa must be behind this and instructs Gael to keep an eye on the supply fleets. He then turned to his staff and ordered them to delete the Unicorn's testing OS, seal its NT-D and upload the Laplace Program. He then retired to his study, where he viewed a file on Banagher. Gael later comes up to Cardeas and shows him surveillance footage that detailed the presence of Mineva Lao Zabi, the princess of Zeon, being on the colony. Cardeas also noticed Banagher with her. Acting like he had no knowledge of him, Cardeas asked Gael what info they had on him, to which Gael admits that he looks to young to be a bodyguard. Cardeas met with Banagher and Mineva, acting under the pseudonym Audrey Burne, in his mansion while they were staring at a tapestry copy of The Lady and Unicorn. Cardeas wants Banagher to leave (likely out of fatherly concern) as he felt he has nothing to do with Audrey and didn't want to discuss Laplace's Box in his presence. Seeing Cardeas displeased with Banagher, she didn't want him to be in further trouble; she expressed her gratitude for taking her this far and relieved him, however Bangaher didn't want to leave. Banagher mentioned how it was different from learning war in school and sensing it from being with her; he didn't care who she is, so long as she needs him. Audrey was a bit taken back from Banagher's words, but she told him she didn't need him and to forget her. Unable to accept his situation, Banagher stubbornly remained until Cardeas had someone remove him from the mansion. Mineva protested the Vist family's rash decision to just give up Laplace's Box. Cardeas assured her that even with the key, it will still take the right person to handle it. Cardeas then met with Sleeves captain Suberoa Zinnerman. Though Zinnerman was expecting the box itself, Cardeas corrected that they're giving the key. A confused Zinnerman then prods Cardeas about the reason for giving the key but not the box, and mentioning the underhanded activities the Foundation was involved in. Cardeas smoothly reminds him that the Zeon leaders acknowledge the value of what they are offering, which is why they sent Zinnerman to receive it. Zinnerman admits that with the precarious state Neo Zeon is in, they need to seize the moment and would be disappointed if things went badly. References